Specifications for operating models to evaluate bias in estimation methods in accordance with recommendation A.1 of the 2014 International Review Panel.

The simulation testing approach put forward here follows that developed at the 2012 ICES Working Group on Methods of Fish Stock Assessment. This as adopted for the SISAM assessment methods testing exercise for which results were reported at the 2013 Boston World Conference on Stock Assessment Methods, and involves conditioning the parameters of the operating model on the data available to better provide results pertinent to the situation being analysed.